Nick Kyrgios has staked a claim for shot of the tournament in seeing off dogged Czech Radek Stepanek in four sets in a typically eventful start to his Wimbledon campaign.
Australia's 15th seed produced a spectacular between-the-legs lob winner while preserving his flawless first-round record at the All England Club with a 6-4 6-3 6-7 (9-11) 6-1 triumph on Tuesday.
The combustible youngster also engaged in a running battle with umpire Mohamed Lahyani after receiving a code violation for unsportsmanlike conduct after losing the tense third-set tiebreaker.
Kyrgios has history with Lahyani, the pair clashing in several of the 21-year-old's matches since his emergence on the world stage, and branded the Swede's sanction for swearing as "rubbish".
But Kyrgios regained his composure to book a date on Tuesday with dangerous German wildcard Dustin Brown for a place in the last 32 for the third straight year.
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Despite his advancing age and wildcard status, 37-year-old Stepanek had shaped as a potential banana skin match-up for Kyrgios.
The former Wimbledon quarter-finalist remains one of the craftiest players on tour and had Andy Murray down two sets to love in the first round of the French Open last month.
And once again Stepanek caused his more-fancied opponent a scare, denying Kyrgios a routine straight-sets win after fighting back from a service break down in the third to briefly unsettle the world No.18.
Lahyani was also in the chair for Kyrgios's fiery first-round match last year.
In that encounter with Argentine Diego Schwartzmann, Kyrgios threatened a strike - "I'm not playing" - and insisted a rules official come to court two after an unfavourable line call put him down a double break point.
"No, no, no. That's not the rules. I will sit down here and wait until whenever he comes," Kyrgios said, demanding a replay of the point.
The boycott threat preceded a series of angry exchanges with officials during his run to the fourth round.
Kyrgios seemed set to progress on Tuesday incident-free before blowing up at his box and demanding one member of his entourage to "get out" after dropping the third set, then being cautioned by Lahyani.
For the most part, though, Kyrgios impressed fans with his dazzling shot-making and colourful antics, including his warning ball kids to "watch out, watch out, watch out" when balls were heading their way.
The highlight of his performance was undoubtedly his audacious "tweener" lob winner to break Stepanek at the start of the third set.
But Stepanek wouldn't go quietly, keeping Kyrgios on court for two hours and 26 and minutes.
Kyrgios said he was relieved to get through.
"He knows how to play on grass. He serves well. He volleys well," he said.
"I couldn't lapse at all today. Otherwise I would have got beat."
Australia's chief title challenger was also thrilled with the way he managed to hold his nerve after the third-set setback of failing to serve out the contest.
"A couple of years ago if I get broken there, I usually lose the match," he said.
"That's just maturity. I'm just glad I got through."
Kyrgios was also wary of Brown, who famously took out Rafael Nadal last year as well as fellow former champion Lleyton Hewitt in 2013.
"This is by far his best surface. He can do dangerous things," he said of the dreadlocked wildcard.
Fellow Australian Daria Gavrilova also moved into the second round on Tuesday with a stirring 2-6 6-3 6-4 comeback win over Wang Qiang.
